Strait Flooring employees take great pride giving customers straight answers.

It's that attitude, agreed owners Chad Copeland and Steve

Wilson, that helped the company win the Mohawk Industries National Floorscapes Dealer of the Year award at a regional conference in Orlando, Calif., last December.

"It's a huge honor," Wilson said.

"We beat guys and accomplished things in 31/2 years that others have been working at for 30 or more years."

Strait Flooring joined forces with Mohawk Industries in 2006, three years after opening.

"It's been quite a ride," Copeland said, describing the union as an "extreme makeover" project.

"We were featured in 'Floor Covering Weekly' once a month for a year."

In an economy where some businesses are closing their doors or announcing bankruptcy, Strait Flooring is doing better than ever.

"Sales are up for us about 20-30 percent even in a down economy, and I feel it's because of our

connection with Mohawk,"

Wilson said.

"And I think those (statistics) are some of the numbers they looked at and why we were chosen (as) national store of the year."

Strait Flooring operates a second store in Port Townsend.

Copeland and Wilson said they are considering opening a third branch within the next year but wouldn't say where.



It's time to party

Strait Flooring will celebrate winning the National Floorscapes Dealer of the Year award with a customer appreciation sales extravaganza Feb. 27.

New customers are welcome.

Look for the searchlight, said owners Chad Copeland and Steve Wilson. For more information, call 683-4343 or go online to www.straitfloors.com.



Reach Ashley Miller at

ashleyo@sequimgazette.com.